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Oregon News
Suspect remains on the loose after NE Portland cop shooting injures 2 officers
The Oregonian | By Fedor Zarkhin
Portland police are continuing to investigate a rare shooting of police officers in the city, with two officers injured by a suspect who is still at large.
‘Civil disobedience’: Sit-in at Portland ICE facility leads to multiple arrests
KOIN 6 | By Ariel Iacobazzi
A sit-in at the Portland ICE facility resulted in multiple arrests on Monday night.
Dozens of protestors showed up at the facility to show solidarity for those believed to be killed in ICE custody.
Endangered gray wolf killed in Oregon; $10,000 reward offered for information
KGW | By John Tanet
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is searching for any information that leads to an arrest or conviction.
POLITICS
After a year of failed attempts, Oregon lawmakers are back at square one on transportation plan
The Oregonian | By Carlos Fuentes
Earlier this week, a group of 10 lawmakers from both parties met privately in the state Capitol to start brainstorming a plan to keep the agency afloat. Separately, Gov. Tina Kotek met this week with top leaders from both parties with the hopes of eventually coming together on a comprehensive plan to maintain and improve the state’s transportation network for years to come.
Kotek has said she wants lawmakers to take up the comprehensive plan during the long session in 2027, but legislators also need to come up with a stopgap solution this session to address the transportation agency’s immediate financial woes.
“The conversations that we’re having now are very preliminary and very early, but the fact that Republicans and Democrats are talking, that’s a good thing,” Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr of Dundee, who participated in both conversations, told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Thursday.
The Interstate Bridge Replacement cost has more than doubled. Here's what's driving the increase
KGW | By Anthony Macuk
The $13.6 billion estimate is for the entire project, which includes not just the bridge itself but also a light rail extension and upgrades along five miles of I-5.
Analysis Shows Oregon Bridges Are Mostly in Fair Condition
Willamette Week | By Khushboo Rathore
Nationally, Oregon ranks 17th in the nation for bridges that are structurally stable.
To meet new Trump rules on food aid, Medicaid, Oregon must come up with staggering $340 million
The Oregonian | By Betsy Hammond
The Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority say they need $340 million more in state funding and 475 more workers between now and June 2027 to comply with new demands from Republicans’ far-reaching 2025 tax and budget-cutting bill.
That is primarily because the state needs more workers to enforce onerous-to-track work requirements for Oregonians ages 19 to 65 who get federal food benefits, known as SNAP, or coverage from the Oregon Health Plan, according to Dave Baden, deputy director of the state human services agency, and others.
It is also because Oregon needs to greatly improve its eligibility accuracy rates to avoid a nearly half billion dollar federal penalty in 2027-29 and potential additional large penalties after that. Oregon also risks breaking federal Medicaid timelines and requirements if it doesn’t upgrade its computer systems to match new eligibility rules, officials said. Also under the federal bill, Oregon will have to pick up $54 million in program administration costs the feds previously agreed to cover.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek names panel to study data centers’ impact: ‘We must have frank conversations’
The Oregonian | By Mike Rogoway
Data centers are proliferating across Oregon, consuming a growing share of the state’s energy, water and industrial land. Gov. Tina Kotek said Tuesday she’s convening a workgroup to take a step back and gauge their impact on the state’s environment and energy supply.
Oregon attorney general to host Portland town hall alongside Democratic AGs
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Mia Maldonado
Oregon’s top legal officer and four Democratic attorney generals from other states will gather for a town hall in Portland on Wednesday, the anniversary of their first lawsuit against the Trump administration.
‘Savior’ or ‘criminal’: Divided Pacific Northwest reflects on Trump’s first year back
OPB | By Emily Cureton Cook, Antonio Sierra
Distrust in media sources bridged a stark political divide.
Ethics Commission Opens Preliminary Review of Pro Bono Counsel for City Councilors
Willamette Week | By Sophie Peel
Meanwhile, the five councilors represented by Ben Haile applied for legal expense trust funds to record the pro bono work.
EDUCATION
How Oregon sets education funding goals and measures school success could transform under new proposal
The Oregonian | By Julia Silverman
Lawmakers are laying the groundwork for a huge shift in how the state calculates how much money is needed for Oregon schools to produce excellent academic results.
Some members of the Joint Public Education Appropriations Committee signaled this week that they may also be ready to redefine what standards the state believes its more than 1,200 public schools should be meeting.
The breadth of those changes would be bigger than what is typically accomplished during an off-year legislative session, which kicks off next month, lasts just 35 days and is intended to be closely focused on budget concerns.
Several committee members Thursday said that they were uncomfortable with the broad scope of the discussions, given the compressed time frame.
“The timing of this seems so wrong,” said Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove. “There’s a lot in this bill that shocked me.”
But fellow Democrats, committee co-chairs Sen. Janeen Sollman of Hillsboro and Rep. Ricki Ruiz of Gresham, said they wanted to kickstart a conversation on changes to the state’s long-entrenched system.
Portland School District Mandates Reforms to Address Chronic Absenteeism
Willamette Week | By Joanna Hou
This year’s student survey saw a spike in students saying they don’t go to school because they’re worried about safety.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Oregon’s population growth holds slow and steady as leaders look for economic wins
OPB | By Holly Bartholomew
As Oregon leaders seek to revitalize the state’s business reputation, economists see conflicting signs about where Portland— and the state as a whole — is headed. The economic and population dips Oregon experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic have not entirely disappeared and the outlook is dour among those who live in the Portland metro area, according to a recent survey.
Oregon-founded dairy brand Alpenrose will consolidate operations to Washington facility
KOIN 6 | By Jashayla Pettigrew
An Oregon-founded dairy brand will soon shutter its only facility in the state.
Alpenrose revealed Tuesday, March 31 will be the final day of manufacturing at its Clackamas outpost, which produces private-label butter and sour cream. The closure is part of the company’s plan to roll back dairy operations and pivot its focus to milk production.
Central Oregon businesses join forces to provide housing for seasonal workers
OPB | By Kathryn Styer Martinez
Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort and the Campfire Hotel provide low-cost housing from December to April to some seasonal workers.
HEALTH CARE
OHSU Union Overwhelmingly Approves Labor Deal, Setting Stage for Minimum Wage Hike
Willamette Week | By Andrew Schwartz
AFSCME 328 had previously threatened to strike.
Oregon invests $25M to stabilize maternity care statewide
KOIN 6 | By Michaela Bourgeois
Kotek announced a $25 million investment to sustain maternal health services in a partnership between the Oregon Health Authority and the Hospital Association of Oregon amid higher rates of maternity care costs.
Oregon lawmakers propose to regulate AI chatbots to protect kids’ mental health
The Oregonian | By Kristine de Leon
As artificial intelligence chatbots become more common, Oregon lawmakers are weighing new requirements for companies such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT to protect children’s mental health.
Hospitals in Salem, Stayton announce they want to merge
Statesman Journal | By Bill Poehler
Salem Health Hospitals and Santiam Hospital in Stayton announced Jan. 19 they have signed an agreement to merge and will submit a formal request for approval to the Oregon Health Authority.
Salem Fire, Marion County launch new behavioral health crisis team
Statesman Journal | By Whitney Woodworth
A new, three-person team created to help Salem residents experiencing mental health crises and substance use disorders began work on Jan. 20.
HOMELESSNESS
Portland Is Moving Fewer People From Shelters Into Housing Than in Previous Years
Willamette Week | By Sophie Peel
The city says that’s because it’s not receiving placement dollars from Multnomah County, a claim the county pushes back on.
NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT
Oregon legislation poised to tackle ‘fishing expedition’ searches of license plate data
Oregon Capital Chronicle | Shaanth Nanguneri
The idea comes as a result of a legislative workgroup convened last year to study the issue of inappropriate usage of automated license plate recognition software employed by law enforcement agencies in Oregon and nationwide.
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